Excavating-machine



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEO. D. STILLSON, OE ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

EXCAVATINGr-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 23,723, dated April 19, 1859.

To a-ZZ 'whom lit may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE D. STILLsoN, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Excavating or Ditching Earth; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l represents a perspective view of the machine. Fig. 2 represents a central longitudinal and vertical section through the same.

Similar letters of reference where they occur in the separate gures, denote like parts of the machine in both.

My invention relates to an excavating or ditching machine wherein an endless belt of diggers is so combined with a presser wheel as that said diggers shall be forced thereby into the earth to be dug independent of the weight of the machine.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the drawings.

A represents a substantial rectangular frame supported on two pairs of wheels B, C, the front end of said frame being secured to the front wheels B, by a king bolt a, as seen in F ig. 2, to facilitate the guiding and turning of the machine. On the frame A, is erected a second frame D, to which, and to the main frame A, the several operating parts of the machine are hinged and connected in a. peculiar manner, as will be eX- plained.

To the bolt E, just in rear of the front bolster F, is connected two straps b, which extend rearward, and have their rear ends connected to the journals or axle c, of the presser wheel G. rI`wo bars H H, also connected to the journals of the presser wheel Gr, viz: one on each side of the wheel, eX- tend from thence to the journals e, of the pulley or wheel I. And from the journals e, of the wheel I, to the pivots f f, on the frame D, extend a third set 0r pair of bars J J, there being thus two xed pivoting points viz. E, f, and two moving pivoted points viz. c, e, to the sets of bars or connecting straps.

K is a chute or trough having its upper corners z', z' pivoted to the journals e of the wheel I, and its lower portion similarly connected to the journals c of the presser wheel Gr, by side bars L.

A yoke M, has its lower ends also hung to the journals c of the presser wheel, and to the top of this yoke is connected one end of a cord or chain m, which passes over a windlass N, and by which the several parts of the machine are raised and lowered. And the straps or bars that connect the several parts are so hinged to the frame, and connected to each other that when raised or lowered they practically maintain the same relative positions to each other.

The journals e of the wheel I, and the journals c of the presser wheel G, have no xed bearings, but are always at the same distance from each other; and around these two wheels I, Gr, passes an endless belt or chain of diggers or hoes 0. And to prevent said chain from slipping on said wheels, the latter may be provided with cogs or spurs over which the vlinks of the chain may catch. The hoes or diggers o, are so arranged with regard to the chute or trough K, as that after they have dug up their quota of earth they will then act as scrapers or conveyers in carrying the earth up through said trough, and deliver it into a chute I?, whichi conveys it to one side of the path of the machine. The weight of the presser wheel G itself, and without the aid of the weight ofthe machine, together with the several parts connected to it, tends to drive the hoes or diggers into the ground, as it runs over the belt that carries them, and a colter Q in rear of t-he chute loosens up the ground for the next throw of the machine. The wheel G, can be raised or lowered at pleasure, whether to adjust it to the proper height, or to pass over `any obstruction, the conductor for that purpose riding on the machine; but when raised or lowered the hoes and chute conform thereto, and they always maintain their proper working positions to each other. A tongue R is attached to the machine in the usual manner. The

bars J, where they unite with the journals e,

digging hoes, a presser wheel that acts independent of the Weight of the machine for 1o drlvlng them into the ground, as described.

GEO. D. STILLSON.

Vitnesscs A. B. STOUGHTON, E. COHEN. 

